Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Sweet Nexus: Sugar and the Origins of the Modern World
While Empires expanded and took over lands all around them, they were also discovering different products and substances. With the exchange of goods and resources betweeen countries there was one specific that stood out the most to Europeans, Sugar.
Sugar was highly invigerating to many europeans back in the 1600's. Some believed it to be a drug because of it's addicting attributes and complete want for the substance. The fact that it was being regulated between societies shows how important they saw this resource as. While finding it in the Meditteranean islands, sugar was first only common anog the rich but later spread to the lower classes.
As this led to the rival of the British and French, trade became a game between them.
It's funny to think that something so common and used so much today was hassled and fought over back then, really makes you think of the value of what things use to be. It's sad to think that Europeans had to expose something so precious to Caribbeans for their own benefit and gains. ($$$)
Global Commerce 1450-1750
Chapter 15: Early Modern commerce in products
The world of trade back in the 1450's to 1750's was brutial. From countries trading food, spices and even slaves, it seemed to me that times were definately changing.
This huge significance of slaves being traded between countries was a ginormous turning point for the growing European empires in the Western Hemisphere. Since they had just recovered from the Black Death sweeping through, they were looking for a way to grow even more as a country. Trading with Asia was key for the Europeans, as well as trying to gain commercial connections with them.
In the Indian Ocean, the portuguesse had created a trading post empire. Meaning that they wanted to control the commerce, not the population or territories. The portuguesse were high in trading spices but eventually got taken over by Spain.
Commerce = Trade at a larger scale
To me I see as all these trades between countries was a great way to expand the knowledge of different empires and how they are. The bad part to me was the slave trades and how upsetting it was to know that slaves were being mistreated through their long trips over sees to other lands.
The world of trade back in the 1450's to 1750's was brutial. From countries trading food, spices and even slaves, it seemed to me that times were definately changing.
This huge significance of slaves being traded between countries was a ginormous turning point for the growing European empires in the Western Hemisphere. Since they had just recovered from the Black Death sweeping through, they were looking for a way to grow even more as a country. Trading with Asia was key for the Europeans, as well as trying to gain commercial connections with them.
In the Indian Ocean, the portuguesse had created a trading post empire. Meaning that they wanted to control the commerce, not the population or territories. The portuguesse were high in trading spices but eventually got taken over by Spain.
Commerce = Trade at a larger scale
To me I see as all these trades between countries was a great way to expand the knowledge of different empires and how they are. The bad part to me was the slave trades and how upsetting it was to know that slaves were being mistreated through their long trips over sees to other lands.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Chapter 14:
What was upsetting to read about in Chapter 14 was the way the Columbus came in and demanded the land from the Native Americans. To me it was weird to look back and think about when I was first learning about Columbus and how much praise they gave him. How he discovered America and sailed far from home to start a new life that we have today.
But reading about it now, is completely different.
Ex:
1.pre-Columbian Western Hemisphere had a population of perhaps 60 million–80 million
-90% of the Native Americans Died
-they only did it for "God, Gold, and Glory"
-They were basically successful because their weapons could out beat the Native Americans spears any day.
2. no immunity to Old World diseases
-Diseases especially gave them a greater advantage of take over
As I see it and read it, I've learned that Columbus is nothing more of a big bully that took whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.
The only good thing that I can really take in from this chapter is that without his discovery, our land wouldn't be here. But it definitely could of been shared with the Native Americans and handled in a completely different way. Instead of completely control, there could of been a better and maybe even smarter way to compromise and share the land for all.
What was upsetting to read about in Chapter 14 was the way the Columbus came in and demanded the land from the Native Americans. To me it was weird to look back and think about when I was first learning about Columbus and how much praise they gave him. How he discovered America and sailed far from home to start a new life that we have today.
But reading about it now, is completely different.
Ex:
1.pre-Columbian Western Hemisphere had a population of perhaps 60 million–80 million
-90% of the Native Americans Died
-they only did it for "God, Gold, and Glory"
-They were basically successful because their weapons could out beat the Native Americans spears any day.
2. no immunity to Old World diseases
-Diseases especially gave them a greater advantage of take over
As I see it and read it, I've learned that Columbus is nothing more of a big bully that took whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.
The only good thing that I can really take in from this chapter is that without his discovery, our land wouldn't be here. But it definitely could of been shared with the Native Americans and handled in a completely different way. Instead of completely control, there could of been a better and maybe even smarter way to compromise and share the land for all.
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